Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Understand the propagation of transport and industrial noise in open fields, as well as the main acoustic assessment criteria: SPL, Leq, Lden, L10, L90 – statistical sound pressure levels and the use of the measurement unit dB(A).
2. Recognize the relationship between urban forms and the propagation of environmental noise.
3. Understand Directive 2002/49/EC (CNOSSOS-EU) on environmental noise and apply its requirements in the context of a transport project (e.g., a ring road).
4. Apply Directive 2002/49/EC at different spatial scales: region, medium-sized city, and municipality.
5. Analyze a strategic noise map and produce an assessment of population exposure to environmental noise.
6. Identify “hot spots” or areas highly exposed to environmental noise on strategic noise maps.
7. Acquire basic knowledge of air pollution linked to transport, and its effects on health and ecosystems.
8. Calculate and evaluate the carbon footprint of transport infrastructures at the stages of construction, operation, and maintenance.
9. Recognize the environmental impacts of transport on biodiversity and propose mitigation strategies such as ecological corridors and buffer zones.

10.           Develop a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to assessing and managing the environmental impacts of transport infrastructures.

Main Course Content

Chapter 01: Environmental Noise
01_ Physical foundations of environmental acoustics
02_ European Directive 2002/49 on Environmental Noise
03_ Methodologies: NMPB95 and CNOSSOS-EU
04_ Strategic Noise Maps (SNM) and Noise Action Plans (NAP)
05_ Technical measures and solutions for environmental noise reduction
06_ Noise and urban forms
07_ Noise and health impacts
08_ Soundscapes and environmental noise

Chapter 02: Air Pollution, Carbon Footprint, and Biodiversity
09_ Air pollution related to transport infrastructures
10_ Carbon footprints of transport infrastructure projects
11_ Impacts of transport infrastructures on biodiversity

Chapter 03: Case Studies
12_ Software tools (CadnaA, CO₂ calculation, biodiversity assessment)
13_ Strategic noise maps and action plans in Greece and Europe
14_ Ongoing environmental issues in transport infrastructure projects

- Suggested bibliography:

1. Κ. Βογιατζής «Περιβαλλοντική Τεχνική & Θεσμικό Πλαίσιο Εφαρμογής», Γ’ ΕΚΔΟΣΗ, Εκδόσεις ΣΥΜΜΕΤΡΙΑ, 2015, 584 σελ.
2. Κ. Βογιατζής, Σ. Χαϊκάλη και Α. Χατζοπούλου «Προστασία του Ελληνικού Ακουστικού Τοπίου - Θεσμικό Πλαίσιο του Περιβαλλοντικού Θορύβου» Εκδόσεις ΠΑΠΑΣΩΤΗΡΙΟΥ, 2009, 256 σελ.
3. G. Gerolymatou, N. Remy, K. Vogiatzis, V. Zafiropoulou, “Assessing Health Effects and Soundscape Analysis as New Mitigation Actions Concerning the Aircraft Noise Impact in Small- and Middle-Size Urban Areas in Greece”, MDPI: Environments 2019, 6, 4, http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/environments6010004.
4. K. Vogiatzis, N. Remy, “Changing the Urban Sound Environment in Greece: A Guide Based on Selected Case Studies of Strategic Noise Maps (SNM) and Noise Action Plans (NAP) in Medium and Large Urban Areas”, MDPI: Environments 2018, 5(6), 64, https://doi.org/10.3390/environments5060064.
5. K. Vogiatzis, N. Remy, Soundscape design guidelines through noise mapping methodologies: An application to medium urban agglomerations, NOISE-D-16-00005, De Gruyter Editions / Noise Mapping Journal: Special issue on Recent Advances on Soundscape Research, 2017;4:1-19, Dec 2016, https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2017-0001
6. K. Vogiatzis, “Environmental noise and air pollution monitoring in the Athens ring road (Attiki Odoso): An important parameter for a sustainable urban development”, Int. Journal of Sustainable Development & Planning, Vol. 10, No 4 (2015) WIT PRESS, pages 528-543, (SCOPUS), https://doi.org/10.2495/SDP- V10-N4-528-543
7. K. Vogiatzis, N. Remy, Research Article: “Strategic Noise Mapping of Herakleion: The Aircraft Noise Impact as a factor of the Int. Airport relocation, Noise Mapping, Vol. 1, Issue 1 (Sept 2014), p. 15-31, De Gruyter Open, https://doi.org/10.2478/noise-2014-0003
8. K. E. Vogiatzis, N. Remy “From Environmental noise abatement to soundscape creation through strategic noise mapping in medium urban agglomeration in South Europe”, Science of Total Environment (STOTEN), Accepted 25 Jul 2013, Article in Press, Sci Total Environ (2013), (SCOPUS)), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.07.098

- Related academic journals:

1. Noise mapping
2. Int. Journal of Sustainable Development & Planning
3. Science of Total Environment
4. MDPI Environments
5. Building acoustics
6. Applied Physics